JAKARTA, May 17 Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold
Inc's Indonesian copper mine should remain closed for an
investigation into a tunnel collapse that has left five dead and
23 missing, a trade union leader said on Friday.

Thirty-nine workers were attending an underground training
class away from the main operations at the world's No.2 copper
mine when a tunnel fell in on them on Tuesday.

Freeport Indonesia, which on Wednesday halted work at the
Grasberg mine in the remote West Papua province as a mark of
respect to those killed or trapped, could not immediately be
reached for comment on Friday.

"All operational activities including production activities
have to be stopped during the investigation process," union
leader Virgo Solossa told Reuters.

"We think that the accident has been caused by the company's
carelessness. This has to be investigated."

Freeport had said on Wednesday that it was still too early
to identify the causes of the incident and that it would
continue to look into the collapse.

Operations at the mine, which also holds the world's largest
gold reserves, remained suspended on Friday, according to
Solossa and a source with knowledge of the matter.

Any impact on supply would initially be minimal as the mine
keeps stockpiles in reserve in case of disruptions, but that
would change if the closure drags on.

Investors will also be wary that the incident could further
sour relations between the union and the Arizona-based firm,
with memories still fresh of a three-month strike in late 2011.

On Thursday, the company and union put on hold pay talks
that began on May 13.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called for an
investigation and for rescue efforts to be intensified in a
Twitter message late on Thursday, urging all companies in the
country to improve safety for workers.

The Grasberg mine has been a frequent source of friction
over how its rich resources are shared between locals, the
company and Jakarta.

Around 50 percent of the mine's copper is shipped to
smelters that Freeport either owns or part-owns in Indonesia and
the United States, analysts say.

TRAINING TUNNEL

Solossa said the government should take "firm action" and
questioned why the company built the training centre in an
underground area, as well as the building's structure and safety
procedures.

"Freeport also has to show full responsibility for the
victim's treatment and compensation," he said, adding that the
firm should replace workers injured or killed with their
relatives.

The training tunnel was located outside the mining area and
around 500 metres from the entrance of the Big Gossan mine.

Freeport Indonesia President Director Rozik Soetjipto, who
was at the mine site on Thursday, ordered field teams to make a
new round of inspections in all underground structures to ensure
that they are safe.

Despite the suspension of operations, which was being
reviewed on an hourly basis, Freeport Indonesia has said that
production was not expected to be significantly affected.

Freeport declared a force majeure on some concentrate sales
about one month into a three-month strike in late 2011, freeing
itself from some of its contractual supply obligations.

"In locales like this, that are more prone to geological and
employer unrest and also from a weather aspect too, they have to
be well prepared for periods where there may not be much in the
way of mine production," said Gavin Wendt an analyst for
MineLife in Australia.

Freeport Indonesia's sales are expected to reach 1.1 billion
pounds of copper and 1.2 million ounces of gold in 2013, up 54
percent and 31 percent over 2012, respectively.

"You will be looking at about four weeks of supply in
stockpiles to ensure that the operation can keep chugging
along," he added. "If it continues on, you'll start to see an
impact on copper prices ... After a week and if there is a
prospect that it will linger on."

Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was
little-changed at $7,300.75 a tonne by 0846 GMT.

LIMA, Dec 9 An indigenous federation opposed to
a recently approved plan for oil drilling in the Peruvian Amazon
said on Friday that native communities will physically block any
attempt by oil companies to operate on their lands.

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